Easy threadable printing ink ribbon



Sept- 3, 1968 w. www 3,399,754

EASY THREADABLE PRINTING INK RIBBON Filed Aug. e. 1966 2 21/ INVENTORE?. William J. Rooney BY @Mgg United States Patent() 3,399,754 EASYTHREADABLE PRINTING INK RIBBON William J; Rooney, 670 Corlis Ave.,

Phillipsburg, NJ. 08865 Filed Aug. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 570,952 1 Claim.(Cl. 197-172) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An easy threadable printing inkribbon for typewriters having means for joining a self adhesive couplingtab and the fabric inked ribbon of the typewriter to prevent accidentalseparation of the ribbon from the tab. The means include indentations onthe end portion of the ribbon to permit opposite sides of the adhesivetab to grip each other through the indentations, parts of the ribbonoutside of the indentations serving-as mechanical locking means. The endportions of the ribbon also have holes through which parts of the tabsides mutually engage to supplement the grip of the tabs on indentedportions of the ribbon. The tab lies ilat and moves smoothly along withthe ribbon end through tape guides `on the typewriter.

This invention relates to an improved self threadable inked printingribbon for typewriters and other machines usedv for manual or automaticprinting on paper, and more particularly concerns means providing a moresecure union between a self adhesive coupling tab and the fabric inkedribbon to prevent accidental separation of the ribbon from the tab.

The invention is an improvement over the construction disclosed in myprior Patent 3,108,675.

A principal object of the invention is` provision of an inked ribbonwith tabs at opposite ends, end portions of the ribbon havingindentations to permit opposite sides of the adhesive tab to grip eachother through the identations, parts of the ribbon outside of theindentations serving as mechanical locking means.

Another object is to provide an inked fabric ribbon with adhesivecoupling tabs, wherein end portions of the ribbon have holes throughwhich parts of the Itab sides mutually engage to supplement the grip ofthe tabs on indented portions of the ribbon.

A further object is to provide improved means for attaching a couplingtab to an end of a typewriter ribbon so that the tab lies flat and movessmoothly along with the ribbon end through tape guides of a typewriter.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawing and to the appended claim in which the Variousnovel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one end of a fabric inked ribbon withattached coupling tab and attached associated coupling strip.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3-3 ofFIG. l.

FIG. 4 is an exploded plan view of parts of the ribbon end, coupling taband coupling strip.

FIG. 5 is a reduced plan view with parts omitted of a fabric inkedribbon with coupling tabs at opposite ends.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are plan view of ends of -two fabric inked ribbonsembodying moditlcations of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of an end of another fabric inked ribbon partiallyenclosed in an adhesive coupling tab.

ice

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the ribbon end of FIG. 8, shown enclosed in thecoupling tab.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown an elongated fabric inkedribbon 10 of indefinite length having parallel side edges 12, 14.Attached to each end of the ribbon as shown in FIG. 5 is a foldedcoupling tab 15. The coupling tab 15 in unfolded form as best shown inFIG. 4, is a flat sheet of paper or plastic material coated on one sidewith a pressure sensitive adhesive 16. The tab can be folded along alongitudinal line 18 to define two generally rectangular adhesive wings20, 22. Wing 22 terminates at one end in a straight transverse end 23.Wing 20 extends beyond wing 22 to define an elongated adhesive coatedtongue 24. Notches 26, 28 aligned with each other transversely of the-tab and also aligned with a hole 30 in the tab on line 18 are provided.The purpose of these notches and hole is described below.

The ribbon 10 has at each end, an end portion 32 formed with two lateralnotches or indentations 34, 36 defining a head 35 at -the free end ofthe ribbon; see FIG. 4. Also formed in each end portion 32 is a seriesof holes 37 spaced apart longitudinally of the ribbon.

The complete assembly includes a coupling strip 38 of paper or plasticmaterial which engages on the reel of a typewriter or other printingmachine. This strip has a series of transverse lines of perforations 40spaced apart longitudinally of the strip for purposes described indetail in my prior Patent 3,108,675 above mentioned. The strip 38 iscoated at one side with a suitable adhesive 42 to engage on the reel ofthe prin-ting machine. The strip has a straight rectangular end portion44 which engages on the tongue 24 of the tab. Wing 22 is slightly widerthan wing 20 so that a narrow edge portion 45 of wing 22 overlaps andadheres to the free edge 46 of wing 20; see FIG. 2. Wing 22 is folded online 47 shown in FIGS. 2 and 4.

When the coupling tab 15 is assembled to the ribbon 10, adhesiveportions of wing 20 will be exposed at indentations 34, 36 and at holes37. Portions of wing 22 will engage the exposed parts of wing 20. Thehead end 35 of the ribbon has shoulders 48 which can withstandconsiderable tension and will prevent the ribbon end from slipping outfrom the abutted, adhering wings 20, 22 of the tab. A cross clip 50 maybe mounted on the assembly for actuating a ribbon reversal mechanism ofthe typewriter. Such :clips are described in my prior Patent 3,108,675.I-t is necessary that the ends of the clip do not extend beyond oppositelateral edges of the ribbon to prevent -catching of the clip in the tapeguides of the type- Writer. Also it is necessary that the material ofthe tab lie smooth and not bunch up when the clip is attached. Thenotches 26, 28 overlay each other in registration at one edge of thefolded tab to define one notch, and the hole 30 denes another notch 30'at fold line 18 as shown in FIG. 5. The opposite ends of clip 50 engagein these notches. Thus the material of the tab does not bunch up. Inaddition the ends of the clip engaging in notches 26, 28 and 30' provideabutments to restrain shoulders 48 of head end 35 of the ribbon. By thisarrangement the tab and ribbon cannot separate accidentally.

FIG. 6 shows another inked fabric ribbon 10a which is generally similarto ribbon 10, except that a plurality of indentations or notches 34a,36a are formed at opposite lateral edges of the end portion 32a of theribbon. In addition the serrated lateral edges of the end portion 32aare indented with respect to the edges 12a, 14a of the ribbon 10a sothat at all points the width of the end portion 32a is less than thewidth of wider, inner portions of the ribbon.

FIG. 7 shows another inked fabric ribbon 10b which is similar to ribbon10 except that holes 37 are diamond shaped instead of round. Alsonotches 52 are formed in 3 v opposite edges of head end 3517 of theribbon end portion 32b. This arrangement as well as the arrangement u ofribbon end 32a provides more indented points through which the adhesivetab wings 20, 22 can engage each other and mechanically lock in theribbon end.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a ribbon 10c having an end portion 32C formed with anangularly cut end 54 so that the ribbon end comes to apoint. Notches 34band 36b are formed in opposite edges of the end portion 32e` of theribbon. Notches 26 and 28 in the tab are clear of the ribbon end 54 whenthe tab is folded. Notch 34b is larger than hole 30 in the tab to clearthe notch 30 when the tab is folded on line 18. This arrangement alsoprovides a very secure attachment of the tab to the ribbon end.

In all ribbon and tab assemblies described adhesive coated tongue 24 ofwing 20 is exposed for attachment of the free end of coupling strip 38.The coupling strip 38 is torn transversely at the perforated line 40:closest to tongue 24 when the ribbon is used up and is to be replacedby another having similar tabs 15 on opposite ends thereof. Theinvention overcomes a difficulty heretofore encountered in easilychanged inked ribbons, wherein the tabs frequently separated from theribbon ends. By the present invention the tabs are effectively secure tothe ribbon ends, they lie flat without bunching up and pass smoothlythrough tape guides of the printing machines.

It shall be understood that this invention for ribbons may be made ofplastic as well as of fabric.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and that various changes andmodifications may be made within the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

1. An easy threading ribbon construction comprising an inked, fiatfabric ribbon body of extended length having straight parallellongitudinally extending edges, said ribbon having an end portion formedwith first indentations at opposite lateral edges thereof so that saidend portion of the ribbon is narrower at said first indentations than atother parts of the ribbon body between the first` named lateral edges,and a'folded coupling tab enclosing said end portion of the ribbon saidtab having two juxtaposed adhesive coated wings with said end portion ofthe ribbon disposed therebetween, one of said wings being longer thankthe other to vdefine an exposed elongated adhesive coated tongue forattachment of a coupling strip thereto, whereby said wings are attachedto each other-.at said first indentations, said wings having otherindentations at lateral edges thereof disposed in registration anddefiningl one notch to receive one end of a transverse clip, said tabhaving a hole therein defining another'notch'aligned with said one notchtransversely of the folded tab to receive the other end of a transverseclip, a transverse clip engaged on the tab and extending across the tabwith opposite ends of the clip in said notches, said first indentationsterminating short of the free end of the ribbon to dene a head havinginwardly extending shoulders to serve as abutments inside said clip,said end portion of the ribbon having at least one hole for exposing theadhesive coated portions of the wings whereby the wings adhere to eachother thereat, the attachment of the wings to each other at said holesupplementing the attachment of the wings to each other at said firstindentations,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 587,941 8/1897 Doty 197-1721,298,824 4/1919 Taylor 197-172 2,128,510 8/1938 Whelan 197-1722,276,324 3/1942 Mann 197-172 3,108,675 10/1963 Rooney 197-172 3,286,80811/1966 Arena et al 197-172 p OTHER REFERENCES IBM Technical DisclosureBulletin, Improved Magnetic Tape, Vranka et al., vol. 7, No. 4,September 1964, p. 275.

ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner. E. T. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner.

